Meet our research team at the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation

At the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation, we are proud to support a thriving multidisciplinary research team.

These devoted staff members are passionate about using research to benefit the conservation of marine ecosystems. This is evident in the range of projects in which the team is involved – from tracking the coastal movements of sharks and rays and studying sunfish genetics to delving into the impacts of microplastics. Through collaborations with national and international universities, our Research team supports students by providing hands-on access to incredible datasets, state-of-the-art equipment, and expert knowledge.

Let’s learn more from Dr Nathalie Viljoen, Head of Research, and Calley Chateau-Cyster, Research Assistant.

What is your role at the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation?

Nathalie: As Head of Research, I facilitate collaboration on biophysical research between higher education institutes, research NGOs, and the Two Oceans Aquarium. I also mentor and supervise both students and interns, helping to grow the skills of the next generation of ocean leaders.

Calley: I serve as the Research Assistant at the Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation, where I support our marine research initiatives and help coordinate various conservation projects.

What does a typical day look like for you?

Nathalie: Some days are spent in meetings with prospective students and supervisors on possible research projects or discussions around research methodologies and findings. Other days are fieldwork-based – this could mean collecting water samples or collecting sunfish tissue samples in Table Bay waters.

Calley: My days are quite varied. I spend time editing and writing research papers, mentoring our interns to ensure they're thriving in their roles, and managing our datasets. When opportunities arise – like when a sunfish is spotted nearby – I coordinate the collection of tissue samples or water samples for eDNA analysis. I also attend team meetings, liaise with students who want to conduct research with us or need samples collected, and maintain relationships with our research partners and collaborators. There's a lot of communication and coordination involved in keeping our research projects moving forward effectively.

How does your work impact ocean conservation and awareness?

Nathalie: The research team is guided by the principle that we cannot protect what we don’t know. Conducting research helps us to gather and grow our knowledge of a species, its biological environment, and the role it plays in an ecosystem. We can also learn more about the threats to the species, how they impact human life, and vice versa.

Conducting research within the Aquarium provides us with some baseline understanding of many species, especially when access and limited resources sometimes inhibit us from researching those species in the wild.

Calley: Our research directly contributes to ocean conservation, particularly through our sunfish studies, where we're discovering new knowledge that will help inform their conservation status. All our work centres around the conservation and preservation of marine ecosystems. We believe strongly in sharing our research findings because, as Nathalie says, “you can't protect or care about something you don't know”. Beyond publishing our findings, we create awareness through the students who complete internships or work-integrated learning programs with us – they become ambassadors for marine conservation in their future careers.

Which upcoming projects are you particularly excited about?

Nathalie: I am very excited about our ongoing sunfish project. Through genetic analysis and eDNA techniques, the project aims to determine the distribution of various species of sunfish along the South African coastline. We have also been involved in acoustically tagging various species of sharks and rays in False Bay – I am very keen to see their movements in the bay and gain insight into their use of Marine Protected Areas.

Calley: I'm also super excited about our sunfish project. The data we're collecting will help unlock answers about sunfish populations and behaviour in the southern hemisphere – this is research that's never been done before on the African continent! Being pioneers in this field and knowing that our work could significantly contribute to global understanding of these fascinating creatures is truly exciting.

What areas of marine research are you passionate about?

Nathalie: I am fascinated by all aspects of fish biology, particularly behaviour, breeding, feeding, and their ecological role in the environment. Furthermore, I am also particularly interested in the impacts of plastic pollution and fishing efforts on the health of various fish and sharks.

Calley: I'm passionate about conservation research, especially work focused on endangered species. There's something particularly compelling about using research to contribute to the protection of at-risk species and thus assisting in their preservation.

Nathalie and Calley work alongside several other committed staff members in the broader research team, all of whom work tirelessly to contribute to global conservation research, enhance species knowledge, address knowledge gaps, and make a difference for our ocean.